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Christina M. Currie

Christina M. Currie's Touch of Spice column appears Fridays in the Craig Daily Press. E-mail her at director@craig-chamber.com

Craig — First:

Eight-year-old Katie and 7-year-old sister, Nikki, were fighting in the bathtub. It was one of those "he said, she said" type of arguments that are hard to get to the bottom of because everyone denies culpability.

I decided to force them to kiss and make up. Literally.

Sometimes I find that being able to laugh about a problem makes it disappear.

It worked. In trying to force their two heads together, the three of us were laughing too hard to be very effective. As I went in for my second attempt, both girls grabbed their snorkels (who doesn't have a snorkel in the bathtub?) so that their mouths were blocked.

I used the snorkels as levers to try to pull them closer together and pop, Katie cried out as hers flew out of her mouth.

"My tooth!"

I looked down and she spit a tooth into her hand.

What can I say? Love hurts.

• Second:

I'm lousy at making introductions. I always just figure that the people I know should know each other.

But that obviously isn't the case.

So, I'd like to introduce someone that I've been very remiss in not telling you about, given the role he plays in my life and my children's.

His name is Kevin, and we've been dating for nearly a year.

I'm sorry I didn't introduce him sooner.

I count him as one of the best things to ever happen in my life, but even with that I'm not sure who likes him more, me or the girls.

In fact, Katie has recently taken to pushing us to take that last step and formalize our relationship.

She's mentioned the "m" word several times.

Talk about pressure!

I asked Katie why she thought I should make the plunge.

"Because he's fun, and he's strong and you kiss him and you looooovvvvvee him."

I laughed.

"We'll, he is strong," I replied, for which I got jabbed in the back by the object of the conversation.

Katie was brandishing the $5 bill she'd found that morning tucked under her pillow (I know, exorbitant, isn't it? But the tooth fairy didn't expect a tooth quite that soon and didn't have any bills that were smaller.)

I said, "I'll tell you what, Katie. If you give me that five, I'll marry him."

She hardly needed a second to think it over, nodded and handed me the money.

Crap. My plans have been backfiring a lot lately.

When we were alone, I asked Katie about her fascination with nuptials.

"If you got married, I'd get to wear a long dress that touches the floor."

Ah ha.

"Katie, I could just buy you a long dress."

She needed way less than a second to think that over.

"OK."

I laughed. She was so easy.

Then I told Kevin that I was able to talk Katie out of a wedding with the promise of a long dress.

"But then you'll be able to see me in a pretty dress!" she said by way of reassurance as she was passing through. She didn't want Kevin to feel unloved.

Valentine's Day was nearing, and all.

He was fine anyway. I'd already told him that I'd never say "yes" to a man who proposed under duress from an 8-year-old.

• Last:

It's already been a pretty loving month, but we poured it into high gear Wednesday night when I realized that the girls' Valentine's Day party was a day earlier than I expected.

It's a wonderful thing to see children choosing cards so carefully and counting out just the right amount of candies to take to their classmates.

I asked the girls whether they were planning on getting me anything for Valentine's Day.

Nikki absently reached over to hand me a chocolate without even looking up from the card she was signing.

Katie thought about it.

"If I just had a heart necklace that I didn't want anymore, I'd give it to you," she said.

Awwww. Isn't that sweet?

She upgraded.

"I know something that would make you very happy on Valentine's Day," she said as she wandered over and gave me a tight hug and a kiss.

She's right. That did make me feel better.

And then she thought for a minute.

"If I get you something, will you get me something?"

Ah ha. I smelled a negotiation here.

But I said, "of course."

She grabbed a pencil, stuffed it in a card and wrote "to mom, love Katie."

It's hard to not swoon surrounding by all these loving gestures.

Must be the season.